Project Scope and Relationship to China's Agenda 21

This project seeks to facilitate the research, development and diffusion of new types of high performance solar collectors, and to promote the development of the photovoltaic industry by strengthening research and development of solar cell technologies, by lowering production and implementation costs, and by enlarging the market for these technologies. The project is based on programme areas 12B, 12C, and 13D of China's Agenda 21.

1. Background

Energy shortages and severe environmental pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels (particularly coal) are core problems which constraint the development of China's economy. The use of solar energy would ease the pressure caused by the shortage of conventional energy resources, and would decrease the emission of harmful CO2 into the atmosphere.

The Chinese government has paid much attention to the research, development and diffusion of solar energy technologies. In the past years, some of these research and development projects have been incorporated into the national Five Year Plans.

With regard to solar thermal utilization, a variety of flat plate collectors (FPC) and solar water heaters have been produced in China over the last twenty years. The collectors are now widely commercialized throughout China, and show a gradual increase in their annual output. As for the manufacture of solar water heaters, there are at present more than 100 factories and workshops throughout China with a yearly output of over 400,000-500,000 m2. In addition, as the result of research and development, China has produced an all-glass evacuated tubular collector, and a new type of high level heat-pipe evacuated tubular collector (ETC) has been developed and produced. Thus, China has established a solid foundation for further research and development and international cooperation.

With regard to photovoltaic power generation, there are at present six factories which manufacture solar cells in China. These factories have a combined annual production capacity of 4.5 MW. The application scope of solar cells has been extended gradually in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, culture and education, medicine and health care, transportation, communication, meteorological and seismological measurement and household consumption. By the end of 1993, the total installed power of photovoltaic systems in China will be approximately 3.5 MWp.

Solar thermal utilization is presently only used for low temperature applications such as solar water heating, and should be extended for use at intermediate and even high temperature applications such as solar air-conditioning and solar process heating.

The annual solar cell output is limited because of low efficiency and high costs. Therefore, research and development capacity must be strengthened to overcome these problems and to make solar cells competitive in the marketplace.

2. Objectives

• Long-term Objectives
  • To facilitate the research, development and diffusion of new types of high performance solar collectors and to extend the use of these devices to wider temperature applications, in a gradual, step-by-step manner.
  • To promote the progress of the photovoltaic industry, to strengthen research and development on solar cell technologies, make production costs competitive and to expand the market for the industry's products.

• Immediate Objectives
  • To develop solar thermal utilization, by taking the following actions:
    • Research and develop new types of evacuated tubular collectors;
    • Produce high performance solar collectors on a large scale and reach an annual output of 800,000-1,000,000 m2;
    • Build two demonstration plants for solar process heating systems, with a power of 200 KW and an operating temperature of 150-200o C;
    • Develop and build a demonstration plant for a solar air-conditioning system suitable for southern China, with a cooling capacity of 200 KW.

  • To promote photovoltaic power generation, by taking the following actions:
    • Develop poly-crystalline silicon solar cell technologies and import necessary manufacturing facilities to build a production line with annual capacity of 2 MW and to lower the cost to $2/Wp;
    • Emphasize development of high efficiency mono-crystalline silicon solar cells and set up a 0.5 MW pilot line for the purpose of reforming the current PV manufacturing plants. By the year 2000, the annual production capacity should be more than 8MW;
    • Research and develop solar cell technologies and PV system technologies to contribute to the progress of PV manufacturing and applications. The efficiency will be increased to more than 20 percent, preferably up to 25 percent for the high efficiency mono-crystalline silicon solar cells. The cost of electricity from PV should be reduced to $0.15/KWH which will be competitive in the market;
    • Set up demonstrations and distribute PV systems to remote and rural areas to improve the living conditions of the local people and help the development of the local economy. The total installed power of solar cells will be more than 20MW by the year 2000.

3. Activities

• 3.1   Work out a strategic plan
  • Conduct an investigation on the current status of solar energy resources and work out a strategic plan for the utilization of solar energy in China.

• 3.2   Solar thermal utilization
  • Set up and improve solar thermal laboratories with:
    • magnetron sputtering selective coating
    • metal-glass sealing
    • glass-flange fabricating
    • outgassing

      The duration of this activity will be 18 months.

  • Research and develop high performance solar collectors with:
    • one-through type ETC
    • concentric-tube type ETC
    • storage type ETC
    • cusp-mirror ETC

      The duration of this activity will be 30 months.

  • Conduct system research and build up demonstration plants for solar thermal utilization for:
    • solar air-conditioning system
    • solar process heating system

      The duration of this activity will be three years.

  • Produce high performance solar collectors on a large scale, to attain annual outputs of:
    • 600,000-800,000 m2 by 1996 and
    • 800,000-1,000,000 m2 by 2000

      The duration of this activity will be seven years.

  • Diffuse technology of solar thermal utilization for:
    • solar water heating system
    • solar air-conditioning system
    • solar process heating system

      The duration of this activity will be seven years.

• 3.3   Photovoltaic power generation
  • Import a furnace with 120Kg ingot casting capacity and the other key facilities to set up a production line for poly-crystalline silicon solar cells with 2 MWp annual production capacity.

    The duration of this activity will be seven years.

  • Set up a 0.5 MW pilot line, develop technology to manufacture buried contact solar cell to reform existing solar cell manufacturing plants and achieve a solar cell yearly output of more than 8 MW.

    The duration of this activity will be seven years.

  • Set up two modern laboratories: one to research and develop solar cell technologies and the other for PV system technologies. For the construction of the two laboratories some equipment will need to be imported.

    The duration of this activity will be four years.

  • Set up the following PV demonstrations in remote and rural areas:
    • 100 KWp central PV generation station to provide electricity to a typical village, for the supply of drinking water for people and animals and for household electricity consumption
    • 1,000 PV home systems with 100 Wp of solar cells for each
    • 60 KW wind-PV hybrid system on a typical island to supply both electricity and fresh water to the local people
    • 500 central-controllable grid connected systems (1KW-5KW for each) to investigate the feasibility of the systems for larger scale PV applications in the future

    The duration of this activity will be seven years.

    The project will be organized by the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, and the State Economic and Trade Commission.

4. Inputs

• 4.1   National inputs are required for:
  • project administration
  • experts and other personnel, transport, office equipment, instruments and equipment obtained domestically
  • relevant scientific and technical information
  • construction of demonstration plants
  • loans

• 4.2   International inputs are required for:
  • construction of laboratories
  • exchange of technological experience
  • technical consultancy and personnel training
  • cooperation in research, such as on new types of ETCs; capital, and imports of technology and equipment for the construction of demonstration plants
  • capital, and imports of technology and equipment for mass production

5. Benefits

Solar thermal utilization activities will save 6 million tons of coal each year and will bring China great commercial and social benefit, and play an important role in the improvement of environment.

Photovoltaic power generation activities will supply electricity to 100,000 peasants and herdsman households living in remote areas and without other access to electricity. The solar cells will improve their standard of living.

Research, development and diffusion of solar energy application are important for saving conventional energy resources and the reduction of pollution. The upgraded technology of solar energy and solar equipment will improve the solar energy products market and the investment climate in China for foreign enterprises.